Bigfoot positions itself as a major international company, Luigi Bravi becomes a partner

Last June 17, the Romagna-based accessories group Bigfoot S.r.l., currently mainly involved in the relaunch of the Save My Bag handbag brand, celebrated its 20th anniversary with an event on Via Tornabuoni in Florence, conceived as a meeting to strengthen dialogue with stakeholders, clients, and the press. “Now we move on to the next step: thinking like a widespread and globally appreciated big company,” Giancarlo Tafuro, Bigfoot's sales and marketing manager, revealed to FashionNetwork.com.

During the evening, it was revealed that Luigi Bravi, founder of Orva S.p.A.—a leading Italian company in industrial baking with its legal headquarters in Misano Adriatico (RN) and operations in Bagnacavallo (RA), a giant in IGP Romagna piadina and pinsa—has joined the Bigfoot group, marking a return to the entrepreneur's professional origins. In the past, Luigi Bravi and Nazzareno Amatori, Bigfoot's founder, had already shared a path in the footwear sector before embarking on different entrepreneurial ventures.

“Beyond our family ties, it is our deep friendship and complicity that have fostered this new common path,” Nazzareno Amatori said, emotionally, during the evening. “Precisely this relationship of trust encouraged Luigi to return to his first great passion, fashion, by investing in Bigfoot’s capital and vision to contribute to the group’s future growth.”

Founded 20 years ago as a third-party manufacturer, Amatori created his first brand, the shoe label Emmanuelle Vee, in 2011. With the arrival of his children, Paola (CEO) and Francesco (designer), in 2014, the handbag brand La Carrie was born, while Save My Bag was the first external brand acquired by the Romagna-based company. The other three brands in the company's orbit are No:rae (premium handbags) and the footwear labels The Giver and Zolfo.

“We want to raise our perceived level as a company, not just the standing of our satellite brands, to expand as a collective internationally,” says Tafuro. “Bigfoot now has the right structure, with three brands in the footwear world and three in the handbag universe. From today, we consider our economic results as a company, not for individual brands.”

For Save My Bag, Bigfoot has already activated America and Japan; the Land of the Rising Sun is also the main foreign market for La Carrie. Bigfoot’s 2025 revenue was 9 million euros, but considering a controlled external company, which includes all group brands, it totals around 13 million. Italy accounts for 72%. “2026 will conclude (we have already finished the sales campaigns) with a 7% growth in turnover. The 2027 target is +10%. We must ensure all 6 brands are appreciated abroad,” assures a determined Giancarlo Tafuro.

“Bigfoot's flagship brand at the moment is La Carrie for handbags and Emmanuelle Vee for shoes. The aim is to bring them all to the same level, not only in terms of turnover but also in perception. Certainly, what will give us the most immediate satisfaction is Save My Bag, which has excellent product potential but had become somewhat stagnant after its initial explosion, repeating variations of the same single-product bag,” the manager continues. “The relaunch of this label has already begun. We have completely renovated the product, in terms of style and materials. Neoprene is still there, but it only accounts for 20% of the collection. By our choice, no leather or eco-leather, so only fabrics. Neoprene is still found in the inner part of the bag, the 'salpa,' because it makes the bag light, one of its advantages. Another objective of ours,” he continues, “is to expand its ranges, for example with 'peripheral' products to the core business, like swimwear. Currently, there are no plans for single-brand store openings for Bigfoot’s brands, because it must not be forgotten that stores generate revenue and EBITDA, but also many costs…”

“Today we are here with 20 years of worn soles behind us, of leather in our hands, of nights spent studying a buckle, a new shape, a detail that could make a difference,” said an emotional Nazzareno Amatori. “In these 20 years, we have seen everything: trends arriving like waves and leaving with the same speed, leather giving way to technical materials and then reclaiming its place, fast fashion exploding and then, slowly, witnessing the rediscovery of the value of durability and product quality. We have seen stores suffer and be reborn. We survived the tsunami caused by Covid. We have seen online change everything. And now we are experiencing a difficult time on the global stage,” an emotional Nazzareno Amatori recounted. “But we have seen, above all, that what matters in our sector is always the same thing: being able to create objects that people want to wear and feel are theirs, and—most importantly—that tell a story. Luigi Bravi has joined our corporate structure. With his wealth of experience, he will be an added value for the entire company.”